Switch-stand



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1';

P. W. SNOW.

SWITCH STAND.

No. 367,862. 0 Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

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(No Model.) 4* Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. W. SNOW;

' SWITCH STAND. I No. 367 862. Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

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- (No Model.) 4 Shets-Sheet 3.

F; .W. 'S'NOW.

SWITCH STAND. No. 367,862. Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

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(310 Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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, SWITCH STAND. v No. 367,862. Ptented Aug. 9, 1887.

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SWITCH -STAND.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of- Letters Patent No. 367,862, dated August 9, 1887.

Application filed Sepemhcr 17, 1856. Serial No. 213,841. No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known thatI, FRED.W. SNOW, ofHillburn, Rockla'nd county, New York, have invented certain Improvements in Switch- Stands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of switchstands in which there is aspringresistance to the throw of the switch-rail by power applied thereto, while the rail can be set without resistance by hand; and my invention consists in constructing the stand so that the spindle or shaft carries all the operating parts, and so that the shaft cannot be turned when any impediment exists .to the shifting of the rail.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation in part section of my improved switch-stand. Fig.2 is a sectional elevation showing the parts in a different position. Fig. 3 is a plan of 'Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 1 2, .Fig.

2. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 3 4., Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 5 6, Fig. 2. Fig.

7 is a section on the line? 8, 2. Fig. 8

is a section on the line 9 10, Fig. 2.

The frame A of the stand is of any suitable construction. As shown, it hasabase adapted to be bolted to the support, a cross-piece to receive thetarget-shaft B, having at the lower end the crank O, to whichis connected the rod D, attached to the switch-rail or other part to be moved, and the upper portion of the stand is in the form of a hollow cylindrical trunk or tube having atthetop four equidistant notches, a: x :0 m

The targetshaft carries asleeve, E, attached thereto or forming part of the shaft, and con structed to form practically an enlargement of the shaft, the partsfgk between the points 1 and 2 and 3 and .5 being cylindrical and the parts hj between the point-s 2 and 3 and 5 and 6 being rectangular or square.

Between the sleeve or enlargement E and the trunk of the stand is aloose sleeve, F, con? structed t0 fit the cylindrical portion 9 of the enlargement E above the point 3; and free from contact with the cylindrical reduced part of the shaft between the points aud 5. The

outer part.of the sleeve is cylindrical, and [its a round opening in the trunk.

The lower end of the sleeve Fis formed into four teeth, e e e e, fitting between corresponding teeth, 0, upon aring, G, fitted to the shaft The ring portion G of the clutch rests upon a spring, H, coiled round the shaft B, and confined under heavy pressure between a collar, 8, on the shaft and the bottom of the ring G, which is thus forced toward the upper revolving portion or sleeve, F, of the clutch, a shoulder, y, limiting the upward movement of the ring, so that it does not tend to lift the upper portion beyond a limited extent, and a cap or collar, 9, on the shaft or enlargement E serves as a bearing for the upper end of said portion F.

The sleeve or portion F of the clutch is provided with cars 10 10, to which are pivoted the arms 12 12 of a forked lever, H, which embraces the enlargement E and is adapted to fit the notches 0c 00 :0 x and has a slot, 13, to receive a. staple or loop, 14, projecting from the trunk into each notch, the lever extending through a longitudinal slot, w, in the sleeve F. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, and it is desired to move the switchrail by hand, the lever H is raised to the position shown in dottedlines, bringing its arms 12 12 opposite the square portion j of the en largement. \Vhen the leverH is carried upward and out of the notch in the trunk, it can be swung round independently of the trunk; and as it is thus swung it turns not only the sleeve or upper part, F, of the clutch, but also the shaft B, its enlargement E, and the ring G, owing to the square portion jof the enlargement fitting between the arms of the lever, so that the enlargement and shaft must turn with the lever. As all the parts thus turn to gether, there is no resistance to the swinging of the latter, except the very slight resistance resulting from friction in the bearings of the shaft and the resistance of the switch-rail; and if the latter is blocked by a stone, ice, &c., the shaft and clutch cannot be. turned, inasmuch as the shaft cannot, when the lever is raised, 7 turn independently of the clutch or lever.

\Vhen the rail has been set in its desired position, the lever ll' is lowered into the notch a: beneath it, and is locked by a lock the hasp of which is passed through the eye of the staple extending through the slot 13 of the lever. If, while the switch is in this position, shown in Fig. 2, a car upon the track throws the switchrail from any cause, there will be no breakage of any parts, inasmuch as the lever is now on posite the cylindrical part I; of the enlargement; and while said lever locks the upper part, F, of the clutch innnovably, the shaft, its enlargement, and the lower part, (i, of the clutch can revolve. These parts cannot revolvc freely, howey'er, as the lower part, G, of the clutch cannot turn independently of the upper fixed portion unless the power applied is sufficient to force down the lower part, t, against the resistance of the spring if. It therefore follows that when the parts are arranged as in Fig. 2 they are practically lock ed, except against such a power as can be applied by a car moving in a wrong direction and forcing over the switch-rail through a great leverage. As the rail is moved, the lower part, G, of the clutch descends and the points of the teeth (1 0 are brought into contact, as shown in Fig. 1, and a slight-continued movement carries the lower teeth toward the spaces between the upper teeth, so that the lower are forced into the upper by the power of the spring, which acts to complete the revolution of the shaft, the throw of the crank, and the movement of the switch-rail.

It will be seen that in the above-described switch-operating device all the parts are carried by the target-shaft, the stand serving as a support for the latter and as a means of locking the operatiugdever; that the parts of the clutch are never disengaged, but always in contact, and that when the revolving part of the clutch is locked to the stand the sliding and revolving part is unlocked, so that it can revolve or slide independently of the fixed portion, but that when the revolving part of the clutch is disconnected from the stand it is then locked with the other portion, so that one cannot move independently of the other.

It will be evident that the parts may be differently constructed to lock the two parts of the clutch to the shaft and practically with each other when the revolving part is not locked to the stand, and that the clutch may be constructed in different ways and arranged in different ways upon the shaft, so that the lever may be connected with the part G without departing from the main features of my invention.

\Vithou-t limiting myself to the precise eonstruetion and arrangement of parts shown, I claim- 1. In a switch stand, a frame, a target-shaft turning in bearings on the frame, a two-part spring-clutch carried by the shaft, and means for locking one partto the stand when the switch is set and of positively locking both parts to the shaft when the switch-rail is being moved, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination ofatarget-shaft,a clutch consisting of one part, G, sliding on and turn ing with the shaft, another part, F, adapted to turn independently of the shaft, and devices for locking the part F to the stand and for positively locking both parts to turn with the shaft when the part F is unlocked from the stand, substantially as set forth.

5;. The combination of the shaft, two-part spring-clutch, stand, and lever pivoted to vibrate between the stand and connections with one part of the clutch and. to be positively locked to both alternately, substimtially as set :forth.

4. The stand, the shaft carrying the sliding and also the revolving part of the clutch and the clutch-spring, a pivoted handle carried by the shaft and adapted to be brought alternately against bem'ings upon the frame and on the connections with the spring part of the clutch, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the frame, shaft, ring G, and spring carried by the shaft to slide thereon and turn therewith, sleeve F, engaging with the ring, and pivoted lever carried with the shaft and adapted to be connected alternately with the stand and with the ring (i, substantially as set forth.

(i. The shaft having an enlargement, with cylindrical partsfy 7.: and rectangular parts 71,

j, combined with a clutch-ring, (i, and spring if, and with a elutch-slet'eve, F, lever II, and stand having bearings for the lever, substantially as set forth.

7. The shaft carrying a cl utclrring, G, and spring, and bearings for the ring and spring, a clutch-sleeve, F, carried between the ring (i and a collar on the shaft, and a lever pivoted to the sleeve and adapted to be connected alternately with the stand and with the ring G, substantially as described.

8. Thecontinuation of a franngshaft carrying a two-part clutch and spring, and means for locking the spring part of the clutch with the shaft and also for positivelylocking the other portion to the frame, whereby the clutch serves to oppose a yielding resistance to the turning of the shaft by power applied through the switclrrod, and whereby the shaft may be turned with the clutch without resistance by the spring, substantially as set forth.

S). The combination, with a frame and shaft adapted to be turned by power applied to the switcirrail, of a pivoted lever carried by the shaft and a spring and two clutch parts can ried by the shaft, one part of the clutch adapted to be locked to the frame by the lever and both parts adapted to be positively locked to turn with the shaft, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two snb scribing witnesses.

FRED. V. SNOXV.

Witnesses:

W. (1. EAS'JON, J on. IifanILL.

IIO 

